Bengaluru: There have been renewed calls to carry out a fresh survey of women who were part of the devadasi system in Karnataka as several of them have been left out in two earlier enumerations, making them ineligible for any government aid.
Activists, rights groups and devadasi-led forums believe a fresh survey can help the overlooked women, among the most exploited and marginalised groups, gain access to pension, and possibly, State-allocated housing, among other benefits.
Padma Shri awardee social activist Sitavva Joddati, who came out of the practice and is now working for the emancipation of women suffering within the devadasi system, says a fresh survey would give a chance to the women left out in the surveys in 1993 and 2007 to have a dignified life.
“We demand the government give two acres of land and some financial assistance to each woman to start a small business. There should be reservation for the children of such women and their financial aid should be increased from around Rs 2,000 currently to Rs 3,500-5,000,” Joddati told ThePrint.
She believes several women got left out in the earlier survyes, depriving them of benefits of government schemes.
However, a section of the stakeholders apprehend any survey exercise could be “misused” to inflate the numbers, further straining the limited budget and potentially denying genuine members the support they need. They point out that the number of devadasis more than doubled from 22,873 in 1993 survey to 46,660 in 2007 survey.
“Many people and sections have misused these surveys. If it doubled between 1993 and 2007, it is possible that the numbers will only go up now. The (devadasi) practice was banned in 1982 (implemented since 1984) if it has continued then there are bigger questions that need to be asked,” said B.L. Patil, the 80-year-old patron of Belagavi-based Vimochana Sangh which fights against this practice.
He said many people who indulged in prostitution, which is illegal, have started to identify themselves as devadasis, adding to the challenges in determining genuine cases versus those gaming the system for benefits.
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‘Handmaiden of the lord’
The devadasi system has roots in Karnataka in which young girls from poor and socially backward families are ‘married’ to deities. In ancient times, these girls would be trained in classical music, dance and other forms of art but were seen to serve mostly as concubines for wealthy men. Over time, it became a means of relieving families of their daughters’ burdens.
A research paper—Exploitation of Women as Devadasis and its Associated Evils by Dr. V. Bharathi Harishankar and M.Priyamvadha from Madras University—explains that devadasis have been seen differently in different points in history.
She was seen as a “handmaiden of God” in ancient times, the paper says.
“The devadasi is neither a reprehensible figure nor an exotic being. She has been shaped by a socio-cultural context, dominated by patriarchy, caste/ class hierarchy as well as religious superstition. This idea is important because the marginalisation of devadasis over a period of history has culminated into an oppression based on caste, class and religion,” according to the paper.
The paper notes that the status of devadasis evolved from that of courtesans to encompass both prostitution and begging, with the name devadasi eventually becoming associated with these practices.
Patil opened a residential school in 1985 primarily for the children of devadasis. He says that such children used to constitute about 80-85 percent of class strengths which has now come down to under 10 percent.
“The percentage coming down shows that more people are coming out of that system. The school and the government’s efforts must be to end the practice. But the survey would only keep it alive,” he said.
He, however, concedes that the practice is prevalent in some districts in northern Karnataka but not as rampant as it used to be.
In October 2022, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the centre and six states, seeking details on action taken to curb the “continued menace” of the devadasi system. At the time, it was estimated that over 70,000 women in Karnataka and about 80,000 women in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were leading their lives as devadasis.
In December 2022, the parents of a 21-year-old woman were arrested for allegedly pushing their daughter into the practice at Chilawadagi village in Karnataka’s Koppal district.
Professor Chandrashekar R.V. from the Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion at the National Law School of India says the practice of devadasis is not as rampant but still exists in various regions of Karnataka.
He says that in many cases, even the police send back people accused of pushing women into this system with just a warning.
He says that since the ban on the practice in 1982, only 33 cases have been filed against family and others for pushing girls into this practice and only 13 of them have had any hearings.
‘Fear of misuse’
Out of the 46,660 women recorded as devadasis in 2007, it is estimated that nearly half have died. Taking into account their kin and the extended family, the total number of beneficiaries is likely to go up to around 5 lakhs, with about five people per family, it is estimated. And there are fears that a “misuse” of the exercise may lead to inflated numbers.
Patil says that there is enough awareness within the community now as well. He says that by educating the next generation, some of whom have secured high-level employment, will propagate progressive thinking and end the practice.
The Karnataka government is also working on introducing a new law which strengthens the protection extended to the families of those associated with the system, including doing away with the father’s name in application forms and provisioning DNA tests to prove paternity.
Chandrashekar says that many people missed out on being enumerated in the two surveys.
He says that many devadasis were not aware where to go for the survey and there was also misinformation that they would be jailed if they revealed their identities for indulging in a banned practice.
“Our NLSUI research in 2018 shows that nearly 13 percent of the devadasis were left out of the list,” Chandrashekar told ThePrint.
On fears of misuse, he says that exceptions should not be the reason to deny genuine devadasis a chance to get State support.
The government says that a fresh survey would determine the socioeconomic status of devadasis and their families. “It is a socio-economic and educational evaluation of those who were associated with the practice and their family members. Plus an opportunity is given to those people who have genuinely missed out,” said N. Mahesh Babu, the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Women’s Development Corporation.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)